1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to swimming pool accessories and, more particularly, to a skimmer weir for both in-ground and aboveground swimming pools. The improved skimmer weir of the present invention increases the area or field of influence of water directed into the skimmer for removing surface debris and contaminants from the pool.
2. Description of Related Art
Swimming pools commonly have one or more skimmers placed in the sidewall thereof at water level to permit the removal of floating debris and other contaminants which float on the surface of the pool. The conventional skimmer has a strainer basket within its body to collect larger objects, such as leaves, insects, and the like, while the balance of the water passes through the strainer basket and travels to a pump/filtration unit by appropriate piping where the finer contaminants and particulates are removed in the filtration unit. Filtered water is then returned to the pool in a conventional manner with appropriate pipes. Periodic additions of chemicals are also made, such as chlorine, to maintain proper biological and pH levels in the pool water.
The opening in a conventional skimmer is substantially coplanar with the pool sidewall and draws surface water into the skimmer body, mainly as a function of the power of the pump motor. In order to increase the efficiency of surface cleaning and to remove floating objects and contaminants, such as suntan oil, which tends to float and accumulate around the pool wall perimeter, it is common practice to direct the inlet water nozzles in an angular direction relative to the pool sidewall to create one of a clockwise or counterclockwise water flow current around the pool. This type of flow pattern tends to sweep debris from the pool sidewalls and minimizes the debris accumulation problem.
Unfortunately, when a clockwise or counterclockwise flow pattern is created in the pool, the conventional skimmer opening is capable of capturing only a small percentage of debris floating immediately adjacent to the sidewall. The debris beyond the capture zone of the skimmer opening usually floats past the skimmer and must make one or more additional circuits around the pool prior to being captured by the skimmer. Debris floating in the central areas of the pool generally will not reach the skimmer for a considerable amount of time. In my prior patented invention covered by U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,245 entitled “Flow Diverting Weir for a Swimming Pool Skimmer,” which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, I proposed a skimmer attachment which increases the ability of the skimmer to capture debris traveling past the skimmer at a distance far greater than therebefore thought possible. The improved skimmer attachment of that invention comprised a weir which snapped onto a specially-made skimmer face plate disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,538 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,453 to Frank and Michael Hodak which are, likewise, incorporated in their entirety by reference herein. The '538 and '453 patents disclose a removable face plate for covering a skimmer opening during winter months. The cover element is made from a flexible plastic material which snaps onto a specially-configured skimmer face plate frame. The skimmer face plate frame has a raised or flanged peripheral edge onto which the cover element is snapped. The flow diverting weir of my above-mentioned '254 patent is adapted to be detachably secured to the peripheral edge of the skimmer face plate of the type disclosed in the '538 and '453 patents. The improved flow diverting weir of the present invention is, likewise, configured to be detachably attached to the skimmer face plate flanged peripheral edge of the '538 and '453 patents.